Growing
by Saltey
Summary: Dudley stepped towards Harry extending a hand to shake it, it was as his father always told him the manly thing to do when an opponent bested you. Harry hadn't just been his cousin all these years he'd been an adversary, a worthy opponent. One more frightening and real than any of the bad guys in his computer games.
1. 27th July 1997

**So I couldn't sleep the other night and ended up thinking up a story-line for the Durselys during The Deathly Hallows, my plan is to mix the wizarding world and the muggle world of 1997/1998 into what I hope will be a pretty cool story. Here is the first chapter; the dialogue from the first part is obviously taken straight from the book so I make no claim to owning that nor do I claim to owning any of the characters in this chapter, my awesome OC's will come later. Anyway enjoy and please review and tell me if I should bother finishing it.**

* * *

27th July 1997:

"I don't think you're a waste of space" The words were out of Dudley's mouth with little thought as to how his parents would react.

By the look his cousin gave him Dudley had a feeling he couldn't quite believe his ears, that was a stupid thing to say he thought as he felt his cheeks begin to blush like a little girl.

"well... er... thanks, Dudley" muttered Harry

"You saved my life" he replied after a moments consideration, Dudley didn't like to remember the events of the last summer but there felt like there was something final about this day and it needed to be said.

"not really" replied his cousin "it was your soul the Dementor would have taken"

Dudley had no idea what this meant not really, wasn't a soul something the school priest warned you about losing or selling to the devil. Dudley had fought the devil in a game once it had took him a few tries but he'd won eventually those things hadn't looked like the devil though, no horns. He stared for a moment longer trying to reply to this but not knowing how not to sound stupid in front of these strange people that were standing in his house.

The next thing he knew his mum had started to cry, she gripped Dudley tightly to her chest. The following conversation was muffled within his mother's sobs but he could tell Harry was beginning to smirk. He should have kept his mouth shut, this was just embarrassing.

"Are we going or not" the voice of his father roared through the house "I thought we were on a tight schedule"

"yes... yes we are" replied the older of the two wizards a strange looking man in a purple top hat "We really must be off Harry... good luck, I hope we meet again. The hopes of the wizarding world rest upon your shoulders"

"Oh... right. Thanks"

That's a lot of pressure Dudley thought I'd never be able to take any world on my shoulders, the younger one now clasped Harry's hand "Farewell Harry. Our thoughts go with you"

Harry looked from the strange wizards to Dudley and his mum "I hope everything's okay" he mumbled looking unsure with what was happening. Dudley shared these feelings nothing was going to be the same again was it?

"Oh I'm sure we shall be the best of chums" exclaimed the strange wizard waving his hat as he left the room, the younger witch followed.

Dudley decided now was the best time to also make a move for it he let go of his mother and stepped towards Harry extending a hand to shake it, it was as his father always told him the manly thing to do when an opponent bested you. Harry hadn't just been his cousin all these years he'd been an adversary, a worthy opponent. One more frightening and real than any of the bad guys in his games a strange weedy boy with strange unknown powers and to be honest Dudley was just glad he'd come out so unshaved. Harry looked unsure for a moment before reaching out to shake his hand;

"Blimey, Dudley" he exclaimed "Did the Dementors blow a different personality into you?"

"Dunno" he replied still not knowing what these Dementors even were "see you Harry"

"Yeah ..." replied Harry shaking Dudley's hand "Maybe. Take care. Big D"

Dudley nearly smiled, Harry had ever called him that before and he actually kind of liked it, before he could embarrass himself further though he left his mum and his cousin and ran to the car where his father waited.

"In" ordered his dad holding open the car door, Dudley jumped into his usual spot behind the passenger seat. Only moments later his mum joined them and realising her seat in the front of the car had been taken by the witch who was engrossed in the A-Z that lived in the glove box folded her arms indignantly.

"I'm not sitting in the middle" she snapped "I don't like that little belt"

"It would be my pleasure" said the wizard bowing a little as he slid in next to Dudley who shuffled closer to the door to move away from him.

Moments later the car was backing out of the drive and heading the usual way towards the motor way. Dudley looked out of the window and watched his world vanish; there was Pier's house the light of his best mate's computer shone though his bedroom window, Dudley hoped he could ring him from wherever he was going. Dennis and Gordon lived down that street there and Malcolm two streets over from that, what if he never saw any of them again? Pulling out his walkman he slotted in the latest Oasis CD and let his thoughts turn away from the strange situation his family had ended up in.

These thoughts were distracted as the sun had just finished setting above him loomed terrifying dark clouds, he slipped off his headphones to hear the announcer on the radio talk about 'extreme weather conditions over south east England'

"That's no natural event" muttered the witch darkly "It's begun"

The wizard nodded in agreement but nothing more was said about the clouds.

As the car turned onto the motorway Dudley was distracted from his CD once again to hear the wizards arguing with his father "Scotland. There's no way I'm driving my family to Scotland"

"It's a delightful little farm though, owned by the McMillan clan all fresh air and rolling hills you'd love it" replied the witch.

"I would not. How would that be any safer though that darn schools up there?"

"Hogwarts is in a much more remote area though Mr Dursely" the wizard piped up "the farms situated in a lovely mixed magic village with its own little school for your son"

"Dudley will be returning to smelting in the fall" added his mother "we've already paid for his tuition"

"Ah no well that might not be the safest place"

"I thought" Dudley began before shutting up, no one wanted his opinion.

"You thought what son?" asked the wizard

"I thought that ... That certain wizards weren't safe anymore so... so staying near them might not be a good idea. I thought we'd be moving to a normal place, like London."

"Too close to the ministry" replied the witch "but I like your thinking son"

"So where are we going?" asked his dad "because I will turn this car around right now and go back home unless someone makes a decision"

"Liverpool" she announced "we shall go visit Augusta"

Augusta Longbottom was a slightly terrifying woman with a stern face and a demeanour that reminded Dudley of the matron at Smelting's She'd let the weary travellers in to her home but didn't seem too happy about it. Dudley had been shown to an empty bed by a small creature by the name of Mimsy who had introduced herself as a house elf and promised to take care of his every need if her mistress asked her to.

"House elf" Dudley let the words come from his mouth barely believing himself "Harry mentioned one of them once"

"Mimsy has never had the pleasure of meeting Mr Harry Potter" it squeaked back "But Mr Neville mentions him often"

"Right yh" Dudley replied as he climbed into the large bed still in his clothes too tired to change he fell asleep pretty quickly after that.


	2. 28th July 1997

28th July 1997:

The next morning Dudley was awoke by a shake on the shoulder looking down at him was a slender tall boy with dusty blonde hair and the same sharp noise as the old woman.

"Gran says you need to come down now, we're eating breakfast in five"

As Dudley followed the boy downstairs there was a gasp of shock from Augusta "No!" she exclaimed "Not Alastor" she was sat in a large ornate chair on which an owl perched on the top left corner, in her hand she gripped a scrunched up letter.

"What's happened Gran?" asked the boy a concerned look on his face "did it work?"

"Harry's safe Neville" she started "But Alastor Moody... is ... is dead" the words are hard for her to say, like she couldn't quite believe herself.

Neville gasped "no way, he was the best Auror out there"

"Molly says You-know-who himself got him" she sighed pausing for a moment to compose herself, "but overall it was a success" she looked up and seemed to notice Dudley's existence for the first time.

"Your parents are in the dining room already, you'd better join them" she looked over her glasses as she spoke Dudley looked at her blankly. Who was this Alastor? Was he one of Harry companions? Had he really just died protecting his cousin last night? Who would die for Harry?

"I don't..." he began

"Oh you don't know where to go, Neville show him then I want you back in here to discuss something regarding school." The old lady ordered calmly, she had regained a military like composure.

"Yes Gran" the boy replied meekly "Come on" he said to Dudley and the two began to walk through the house. From the outside the Longbottoms house had looked like a normal little semi-detached house built in the post second world war building boom if Dudley's history lesson memory served him right but inside was a different matter. Beyond the bedroom where he'd slept there must have been five more to sleep the people in that house that morning, plus another for the elf he supposed. Then that morning Neville had walked him past three sitting rooms, a library, a formal dining room and a music room.

"That door there" said Neville pointing to a rounded dark wood door at the end of the corridor,

"This house is too big" Dudley stated "I don't understand how"

"Magic" Neville replied as if it was the most obvious thing in the world "simple extending charms and some more complicated disillusionment ones. Gran did them years ago when she moved here with Grandpa. To be honest I've never given them much thought."

"Where are your parents?" Dudley blurted looking at the boy "Do you live with your Gran?"

Neville looked shocked then sad then confused in quick succession "Harry never mentioned me" he mumbled.

"I never asked" Dudley replied "You know Harry?"

"Course, we've been in Gryffindor together since first year." He sounded shocked.

"What's Gryffindor?" asked Dudley as the wooden door swung open.

"There you are lad" exclaimed the wizard from yesterday "come on your parents are worrying" he gripped Dudley's shoulder and pulled him into the large kitchen dining room before Neville could stop gasping in shock and answer his question. At the kitchen sink he could see the elf thing humming a tune while washing dishes and around the table sat his parents and the witch from yesterday who was peering at a newspaper and frowning slightly;

"Scrimgeour's losing control" she mumbled

"Not in front of the Muggles" replied the wizard sitting down next to her on a chair, Dudley just stood there for a moment longer before sitting down.

As he sat down the plate in front of him filled with food and he gasped in shock jumping back, he'd never get used to this magic nonsense.

"It's okay dear boy" laughed the Wizard slapping him on the back "Just Mimsy sending you the food from over there" Dudley looked up the elf was still washing dishes. How?

"Vernon" his mum screeched suddenly "I want to get out of here. Now!" Dudley noticed now she was perched on the edge of her chair, her plate of food untouched.

"Of course dear" his Dad replied. He stood up the chair screeching across the floor as he did so "Dudley go to the car, come on dear we're leaving" as Dudley stood as did the wizard drawing out his wand as he did.

"I can't allow you to do that Mr Dursley" he said

"You wouldn't dare harm me" he yelled back.

"Then I promise this won't hurt a bit. Immobulus" Dudley's father froze to the spot but he continued to yell abuse at the man. "Silencio" Vernon's mouth continued to move but no sound came out.

Dudley's mum screamed and with another "Silenceio" she was also silenced. All though this dramatic exchange the witch hadn't looked up from her paper.

"Mimsy please take the Dursley's back up to their room" she said calmly and with a flick of her wand both of Dudley's parents were able to move and talk again.

"You are not sending me ..." his Dad began to yell before he vanished in a flash along with the elf. She appeared moments later.

"Mimsy has locked the noisy man and the crying lady in their room Miss Hestia"

"Thank you Mimsy" replied Hestia rubbing her forehead "they were giving me a migraine"

The wizard sat back down and began to spread some jam on his toast as Dudley only stood there, not quite sure what he'd just witnessed.

"Urm, Shall I go too?" he asked,

"Why" asked the Wizard a mouthful of toast "you're not going to kick up a fuss too are you boy"

"No" Dudley wouldn't dare, he'd seen how dangerous these wizards could be too many times.

"Then sit down and eat"

Dudley sat.

"You don't have a television" The words seep out of Dudley as soon as he hears the other boy joining him in one of the houses many sitting rooms. Dudley had been left here fifteen minutes ago after he'd sat at the breakfast table for about an hour picking slowly at the food the elf had prepared. It seemed no one knew what to do with the muggle boy in their presence.

Neville just shrugged "Dean told me about them once. Don't see the point really"

"But then how am I supposed to play on my new N64?" Dudley thought bitterly of his barely used birthday present sitting in the back of the car, there hadn't been enough room for either one of his television sets or the one from the lounge.

Neville remained silent, obviously not having a clue what Dudley was on about and Dudley just stared back at the boy. This awkward silence continued for a few minutes as neither boy knew what to say to the other.

"Harry never mentioned me then?" Neville spoke quietly and Dudley almost didn't hear him.

"s'pose not" he replied after a moment's thought "Never really named any of his friends from that place"

The way Neville looked at him was almost like a little lost puppy until he composed himself and scowled "Well he never mentioned you, there must be a reason"

Dudley felt anger building up within him, what did this wizard freak care what his stupid cousin thought.

"What Harry thinks isn't all that" he told the boy "He's pretty useless really"

"He defeated the most evil wizard of our time as a baby, then again in first year, in second he killed a basilisk, Dementors, dragons, mermaids, Umbridge, he created the DA for Merlin's sake" Neville stood up and even though he couldn't understand a word he'd just said Dudley could tell by the look of anger on his previously peaceful face that these must be pretty important stuff. Neville lent forward and looked Dudley in the eye "He led an attack on the ministry of magic, was there the night Dumbledore fell and has stood his own against some of the most powerful dark wizards of our time"

His ferociousness subsided slightly as he took a step back leaving Dudley frozen and in shock "So no Dudley Dursley, Harry Potter is not useless he's the hero of the wizarding world" Neville paused "He's my hero"

Dudley remained frozen as Neville breathed deeply regaining his breath, the two boys looked at each other in silence for a moment.

"I see" was all Dudley could think to reply "I think there's quite a few things I've never been told."

"You and me both" muttered Neville in reply. They continued to sit in silence for a while longer, both wondering if the other would ever talk again. Finally it was Neville who was brave enough to go first.

"You ever played chess?"

"Tried the version on my computer once, it's kinda dull though"

"Not wizard's chess" Smiled Neville gathering his father's old set from the corner.

The next day was Neville's birthday and though Dudley had no presents to offer him he wished him the best as he sat down to breakfast, there was no sign of his parents and Dudley was almost relieved.

"Seventeen, how does it feel to be of age my dear boy?" asked the wizard as he slapped Neville on the back.

"Not to different," Neville replied as he started to eat the eggs on his plate, he smiled and pulled out his wand "although, Accio salt" the salt flew across the table and into Neville's hand and the wizard laughed and clapped.

"Accio jam" Dudley muttered reaching out to the jam, which just sat there immobile as always.


	3. 1st August 1997

1st August 1997:

Though his parents were confined to their room the previous three days Dudley had been allowed to roam the house, most of the time simply trying to find something to entertain himself with. Wizard's chess was a good laugh the first few times but after a while watching his pieces get pummelled by Neville's made him annoyed so he'd reacted the only way he knew how. By flipping the board over and storming out of the room.

Neville hadn't talked to him much after that. He'd spent a lot of time shut in locked rooms with his Gran and the other witch and wizard. Standing by the door Dudley had picked up words like 'Hogwarts', 'Snape' and 'Deatheaters' all of which sounded more and more ridiculous, like something out of his Final Fantasy games. Neville didn't want to go back to this school; he seemed positive that Harry and two others weren't going to be there.

"I can help them Gran" he cried out "I know I can"

"You are not your father Neville" the stern woman told him and the conversation continued as if Neville had never spoke.

It seemed to Dudley like the bad guys had taken over the good guys base at the school, but the boss guy himself was keeping out of the way leaving his second in command in charge there, this Snape character. Dudley hadn't come across this exact situation before but had a good idea how he'd deal with it. First you'd have to undermine the bad guys control in the base, through some kind of rebellion. Then once you'd defeated the Snape character it'd draw the boss to the castle where the final show down would take place the player against the boss. Boss levels were always Dudley's favourite when it was just him and them, one vs. one. Figuring out the weak spots, destroying every minion it sent and avoiding the irritating game over screens. But in this strange wizarding world that so resembled a story from a video game, who was the player one? It couldn't be his stupid weedy cousin could it? Heroes were large and strong and built like the guys at boxing.

His fingers began to itch wanting to hit or shoot something or at least watch some television, he had already missed a load of TV and his usual night at the boxing club. His friends would be missing him, they would have no idea where he'd gone. He kind of understood that he couldn't contact them though, these bad guys were after them probably thinking they'd know where Harry was and he didn't want to compromise his friends by going to them he'd watched enough war movies to get that much.

Slopping down on a soft chair in the library room he stared at the vast collection of books, never a fan of reading he'd dismissed any previous suggestion he spent his time trapped in this house reading. But desperate times called for desperate measures and it was the only activity that didn't involve being around the wizard freaks or with his weeping mother and angry dad.

He began to scan the shelves looking for books that would be vaguely entertaining, the large section on plants was a no go as was anything that involved how to perform magic, it would probably just make him jealous. Looking to the history section he scanned through the book titles 'Modern Events in Wizarding England' looked large and heavy, yet the one next to it 'The Rise and Fall of the Dark Arts' seemed much more tempting, it was half the size of 'Modern events' and had the image of a snake and skull on the front, much more cool.

Not really wanting to read the whole book he skipped past the boring parts picking up the basics, Lord Voldemort or Tom Riddle was the big bad, the one no-one wanted to speak the name of. He wasn't a fan of wizards whose parents weren't wizards but were normal 'muggles' which explained why his current companions kept calling him that. Dudley continued to read until he found the exciting bits, battles over ancient prophesies, armies of death eaters fighting a few rebel forces, not knowing who they could trust, secret organisations and all of it coming to a head one night in a small village when a friend of Harry's parents had betrayed them to Voldemort and he'd come to kill the couple and the baby. But Harry had survived this 'killing curse' and been 'whisked away by Albus Dumbledore to an undisclosed location' for his own protection apparently.

But if Harry was so special to these freaks, why did they dump him on his family. Why not pass him around show off that little scar on his forehead and bring him up in one of these bigger on the inside houses like Neville here. He was almost about to close the book when a name jumped out, Frank and Alice Longbottom were 'tortured to insanity' and now resided in a hospital somewhere. Dudley froze, it was one thing to kill in a war but to hurt someone till their mind broke that was just sick.

"Oh there you are, suppers ready" Neville had appeared at the door, he looked down at the book Dudley was holding and frowned "You probably shouldn't be reading that"

"I'm sorry about your parents" Dudley told the boy.

"Yeah well you know I still see them ... sometimes... Gran is waiting" he fled from the room.

Dudley walked the long corridor down to the kitchen noticing that it had already gotten dark outside; he must have been reading for hours.

"I just think it would be better for my son if we were near people he knew and trusted" that was his father's voice, still booming but not as angry.

He opened the dining room door to find his parents sat at the table just as they'd been that first morning his mother perched nervously on her chair his father's voice filling the room.

"Oh Duddiekins you're alright" his mother exclaimed "I was so worried about you baby"

"Yeah I'm fine mum, just really bored" he said sitting down and beginning to eat the food that had appeared before him, he was actually starting to find this kind of stuff almost normal.

"It would be safer for your whole family to just stay here a few more days till we know what's happening" The Hestia Jones spoke calmly.

Mrs Longbottom frowned at this suggestion, it was obvious she wasn't enjoying her new houseguests but she nodded in agreement.

"What do you want to do Dudleykins?" Dudley's mum asked, he caught Neville smirking out of the corner of his eye, god she was embarrassing.

"Urm.." Dudley wasn't sure, he didn't like being put on the spot like this, especially when he knew his true feelings didn't really match those of his parents "I just don't want to die"

Diggle chuckled "A boy after my own heart lad. The family should be kept in the safest place possible"

"What I don't see is why you didn't have all this figured out before you knocked on my damn front door" Vernon raged

"We couldn't set anything in stone Mr Dursley" Hestia explained "you don't know who you can trust anymore, things change"

"Unlike you people I can trust people in the normal world Miss Jones" Vernon spat "Let me take my family back to normality so we can live our lives"

"Where do you suggest?" Mrs Longbottom asked

"My sister's house, in the Kent countryside. Its only an hour's drive from Smelting's so Dudley will be able to finish his last year at school"

"Where in Kent?" asked Diggle

"Just outside Ashford, big house plenty of room for the _three_ of us"

"Not at all far from mine then" Diggle exclaimed clapping his hands together in excitement "I live in Hareplane, Hestia and I can watch over you from there"

"That wasn't quite what I had in mind" Vernon fumed his face was slowly growing purple at the threat of having to spend more time being 'watched' "Why can't you just do some mumbo jumbo magic and leave us be?!"

"Because Mr Dursley, the enemy can do 'mumbo jumbo magic' too and they will stop at nothing until they kill you and your nephew" Hestia informed him calmly.

"They can have him for all I care" Vernon fumed his rage rising to the surface.

At that exact moment the lights in the room began to flicker as if being controlled by his father's anger. Dudley felt a rush of cold air hit him from the left hand wall through this wall into the centre of the table leapt a slender silver cat;

"The Ministry has fallen. Scrimgeour is dead. Move them tonight." It spoke in a deep male voice before vanishing into nothing.

"That settles it then" Mrs Longbottom spoke calmly as she stood up "All five of you shall leave tonight. Take them to this Aunts house until someone comes up with a better idea."


	4. 12th August 1997

12th August 1997:

Dudley was pretty happy to end up at his Aunts, she often shoved crisp banknotes into his hand and had a very well stocked biscuit tin often filled with full sized chocolate bars. He currently was chewing his way through a mars bar while finally getting to play his new Final Doom game on her large television screen as his parents sat talking with his aunt in her second reception room after they'd all had a filling dinner of gammon and eggs.

It was strange that for the first day or two Dudley found himself missing being around the strange wizards and witches, talking to Neville and seeing incredible feats of magic being performed so easily. As far as his aunt was concerned the three of them were there while the house was being re-roofed, they'd also told her that Harry had moved out, for good.

"About time that boy left you three be" she'd commented as if Harry has been a particularly irritating insect or something.

He had just blasted a good kill streak of hells minions when a crash outside made him loose attention for a second and he died.

"Balls" he yelled as he threw the controller on the floor, that level had took him hours to get perfect and now he'd have to do it all over again. Wanting to find the cause of the distraction be it one of his aunts stupid dogs or one of the neighbours children that he could yell at he stood up, moved over to the window and slid the curtain back. There seemed to be no one there, not wanting to have to go outside and look further he groaned in annoyance that he would never know what had disrupted his game. He yanked out the cables behind the TV in disgust before turning on his aunt's satellite TV box. It was brilliant compared to their old analogue at home, the TV of the future. Unfortunately however few people had yet to realise this and there was still nothing on, he finally settled on The Simpsons on channel two.

It was a pretty standard episode from the first series that he'd seen hundreds of times before where Bart goes to France and Dudley found himself flicking onto the news. What he saw was not what he had expected.

"MUM DAD" he screamed at the top of his lungs as he stared in disbelief at the screen he barely noticed his parents and aunt come into the room, they also didn't say a word as each of them slowly discovered the news.

"The incident occurred at five am last night and police have yet to discover the cause of the explosion but have now confirmed that one person has died."

The scene cut to a helicopter image hovering over number four Privet Drive; or what was left of it, Dudley could make out the kitchen barely and the shattered conservatory. The top floor and therefore his bedroom and the possessions he'd left were just gone, yet the surrounding houses bar a bit of scorching were fine.

"They attacked us" his mum whispered

"Who did" Aunt Marge asked loudly "Was it that potter boy. A Bomb or something. Who's dead?"

Dudley didn't know the answers to any of these questions so he continued to watch the television. The news reporter was now talking to his neighbour Mrs Figg who usually appeared at times of great confusion like the Dementor things.

"No the family are away at the moment dear" she tells the reporter "on holiday somewhere warm I believe. Yes I've told the police dear. I must go my cats will be hungry"

With that Mrs Figg shuffled off screen and Dudley became aware of his parents again as the news article changed to something about Cyprus that was irrelevant to the family that had just lost their home for good.

"They told us we could move back" his mum whispered sinking to the floor tears seeping down her face

"The roofers?" his aunt asked

At this Dudley's dad pulled a small metal device out of his pocket and twisted it "Diggle get here now" he ordered before holding out the object which grew wings and flew off out of the open door into the night.

"What was that?" his Aunt demanded but his father didn't answer.

For a few tense minutes there was silence in the room bar the TVs murmurings and his mothers sobs until 'poof' Diggle appeared only feet away and 'poof' Hestia appeared beside him. For a few seconds there was chaos as adults began to yell and scream with most of the yelling coming from his father and the screaming from his aunt.

"Silencio" Hestia screamed pointing her wand at the siblings; Dudley could have laughed if he wasn't still in shock. Dudley's father continued to yell silently whilst his aunt discovering that she was no longer making any noise fainted.

"Now what seems to be the problem" Hestia asked Dudley smiling at him.

"Our house" Dudley stuttered slowly barely believing each word as it came "It exploded. Theres been. A. Death."

"How did you discover this?" Diggle asked "how long ago did it happen?"

Dudley only shrugged "it was on the news" he pointed at the television which was now re-capping some recent football matches.

Hestia waved her wand again and Dudley's father could now speak, "How could you let this happen?" he raged "we were promised we could return home"

"We also warned you they would do anything to get to Harry" she told him, Diggle had become distracted by the television

"Hello in there dear man" he said tapping on the glass "tell me more about the body found at the explosion"

"And now over to Gemma with the weather" the presenter said as the news cut to the weather

"Hello are you listening" asked Diggle again "what a rude fellow"

"They can't hear you" Dudley told the wizard scowling in annoyance with his stupidity "it's just a recording"

"I'll send word to Augusta, we may need to move them again" Hestia said, with a wave of her wand she conjured a wispy silver fox.

"Message to Augusta Longbottom, 'Who was at the Dursley's last night, they have been compromised? Please send us all you know'" The fox bounded through the wall and off into the night sky.

Breathing slowly Dudley's mum stood up whispered something about a cup of tea and vanished, his father knelt by his sister and began to try and revive her as the witch and wizard sat down.

Time passed slowly as Aunt Marge came to and was escorted to bed after a couple of quick memory charms, the Dursley's were told she'd remember hearing about the explosion and then fainting, nothing more. The five of them then sat silently sipping slowly cooling tea as they waited for a reply.

It eventually came in the form of another silvery animal, a vulture this time; it spoke in the clear voice of Mrs Longbottom.

"Rufus O'Neil is dead and Finley Muldoon is missing, leave the family there for now, I will contact you again tomorrow"

Dudley didn't recognise either name but from the sad look on Hesita's face he could tell she knew them well.

"I'm sorry my dear" said Diggle "O'Neil was a good man"

"He was in my year at Hogwarts" she said apparently for the benefit of the Dursley's "A good Hufflepuff and an even better man" she sunk her hands into head and began to sob.

"I'd bet my left shoe Muldoon turned" muttered Diggle "a snake that one, a traitor from the start I'd say"

More time passed in silence until Dudley finally excused himself and went up to his room played on his gameboy for a bit before slowly falling asleep.

It was a loud crack that woke him up and the gunshot that followed that that caused him to leap out of his skin in shock.


	5. 13th August 1997

**13****th**** August 1997:**

It was the second gunshot that really terrified Dudley, he curled up into the smallest ball he could manage under his covers and began to pray. Well not pray exactly but beg, begging had worked for him in the past so he tried it now.

"Mummy, daddy please don't be dead please please oh god what if they come for me next" he wept under the quilt "please please please"

"Duddiekins, we need to leave" he'd never been so relieved to hear the soft voice of his mother "pack as little as you can and come downstairs" Dudley rolled out of bed and yanked on yesterdays socks before grabbing one of his duffle bags and shoving belongings into it, gameboy and games went first then his couple of pairs of favourite jeans and some t-shirts, underwear and toiletries went in last. He pulled a hoodie over his head and slipped his wallet and small blue bear in the front pocket, taking a deep breath he opened the bedroom door and looked out into the hall.

The scene he found was straight out of a video game; precisely three bodies lay there before him two of which were severely bleeding and the third; in the doorway of his aunt's room she lay frozen still eyes wide open in shock her mouth open as if in mid scream. Dudley understood immediately she was dead.

"Dad" he cried in shock staring at the bodies "Dad is she?"

"Yes Dudley now come and get in the car" the firm voice of his father replied, not angry, but steady and calm. Dudley didn't need telling twice so he jumped around the bodies and the pool of blood, before he went downstairs he turned and looked at their attackers faces. One was wearing a silver mask but the mask had slipped on the other man, he was pink and flushed looking as if he'd just done a lot of exercise and his fringe was stuck to his forehead with sweat.

"Dudley" the voice of his father called again so Dudley left the bodies and rushed downstairs barely remembering to slip on his shoes as he dove out of the front door and into the car. That was when he saw the gun, it was lain carefully on the second passenger seat beside a small wooden box and a pair of leather gloves.

Later as the car zoomed along the M20 and past the wizards house in Hareplain Dudley's father told him the whole story from his point of view. He had been sitting awake watching over his mum; unable to sleep after the witch and wizard had left them at around midnight when he was disturbed by a snapping noise, "like when the others keep appearing". Opening the door he saw two tall men in black robes walk towards Aunt Marge's door, what happened next happened quickly as he reached for the shot gun above the dresser in the room (Marge had always kept one in case one of her dogs attacked someone) at the same time the men had produced wands, one flash of green light had killed Aunt Marge as she'd come to investigate the noise but before the second man could fire his wand Vernon had shot him with the riffle. He then shot the second wizard before rushing over to his sister who was already beyond saving.

He got uncharacteristically emotional at this and became silent for a while as a tearful Petunia filled him in with the other details, they had in the few minutes after the shootings and before calling Dudley decided to leave and escape the watch of these magical folk who brought destruction and death with them and that's how the Dursley family ended up heading towards the centre of London at four am in the morning after killing two wizards with his now dead aunts riffle.

Dudley fell asleep again eventually after the family had decided to continue north until they could drive no further. It was the radio that woke him up;

"Police are looking for any witnesses after a triple death in Ashford has shocked the community there. The deaths occurred last night and the names of the dead have not yet been released to the public."

"Who knew we were there" Dudley asked his parents

"Oh Dudley" sighed his mum "I didn't think you were awake baby"

"Well I am and I want to know. We should have stayed" He was scared, what if the police came after them, he couldn't loose his dad to prison. What even was the sentence for killing a wizard, would they end up in wizard court?

"We should not have stayed" his dad said "That freaky pair would have just taken us away again to god knows where"

"They would have known where" Dudley found himself replying "if we'd contacted them"

"WELL WERE NOT PUTTING OUR TRUST IN THEM PEOPLE AGAIN DUDLEY" his dad yelled, Dudley gasped as his mother sobbed, his dad had never yelled at him like that. That was the voice he reserved for Harry not him. Dudley gulped.

"Yes dad" he muttered before turning to face out of the window.

The signs on the road said they were approaching Leeds but Vernon pulled off before then finally stopping the car in a small town called Castleford that none of the Dursleys had ever heard off before.

Sure they wouldn't be recognised they parked up and walked around the town for a short while till they came across a little corner cafe. Dudley's mum and dad just sat there in a stunned silence neither of them saying a word when the flustered waitress appeared at their table.

"Your folks alright kid?" she asked Dudley kindly

"Yea", replied Dudley thinking of a reply "We've just had a long drive, you do full breakfasts?"

"Course"

"Three then and a pot of tea please"

"No worries chuck" she smiled tucking her notepad into her apron.

She headed off into the kitchen and Dudley looked at his parents sat opposite him at the hard plastic table and willed them to say something, do something. For a moment he wished Harry were here to be someone to talk to, Harry was smarter than Dudley, Harry could have magic'd all their problems away.

They remained silent though as the waitress reappeared with a pot of tea, Dudley thanked her and poured the tea for his parents.

"Such a good boy" his mum smiled taking her tea "Always such a good boy"

Dudley was scared, nothing felt normal anymore.

_A/N: Hello again fans and followers of Growing. Got a bit of a brain wave and finally finished this chapter. the next should hopefully follow soonish._


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